Lagos allays fears over alleged terror attacks

Amidst reports that Lagos is emerging as a likely target by terror group, Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, Jama’atu Ansaral Muslimana Fi Biladis –Sudan, the Lagos State government at the weekend urged residents to ignore the threats and go about their normal activities.

State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, who spoke to journalists shortly after monitoring the February edition of the monthly sanitation exercise, said the government has put measures in place to ensure the protection of lives and properties.

To this end, the commissioners, who during the exercise led a team of their personnel to comb under bridges and hidden places in Surulere Local Government Area of filth and suspicious materials, said the state government and security agencies are already working on security reports available to them.

Ibirogba assured, “I will say categorically that Lagos is safe; Lagosians should not entertain any fear. We have done all we are supposed to do for Lagosians to live safely. I want to just tell them to go about their normal duties without entertaining any fear.

“The idea of Boko Haram coming to attack Lagos is nothing to scare anybody. This is a proactive government and Lagosians have confidence in their government. Lagos is home to everybody and I don’t think anybody in a right frame of mind will want to extend act of terrorism or violence to Lagos. No matter how you look at it, people have one interest or the other in Lagos”.

Bello on his part, said the decision to send transporters under the bridge in Ojuelegba packing became necessary to clean up the place and get rid of some unscrupulous elements hiding in the garage to perpetrate evil.

He said the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) will take over the garage and ensure the transporters polluting the place do not return to the spot to constitute environmental nuisance.

Meanwhile, the state government has beefed up security at the governor’s and his deputy’s entrance gates, just as they refused to allow vehicles into the state government secretariat.